Viral miRNAs Confer Survival in Host Cells by Targeting Apoptosis Related Host Genes

Abstract

BackgroundmiRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that regulate the expression of genes by RNA silencing method. Like eukaryotic organisms, some viruses also produce miRNAs. While contribution of host miRNA in the prevention of viral pathogenesis has been studied, it is not known very well how viral miRNA can confer its survival in the host. Here we hypothesized that viral miRNAs can bind to the host target genes to confer their pathogenicity by down-regulating specific pathways and related genes that otherwise pose threat to cell survival. Methods and ResultsUsing targets of 168 viral miRNAs from 13 different viruses overrepresentation analysis was done. Functional enrichment analysis of the genes targeted by the miRNAs indicates that viruses target specific immune system and host defense related pathways via miRNA mediated gene silencing. Integration and analysis of the publicly available experimental host gene expression data by RNA-seq provided insight that viruses target host apoptosis process by switching off related genes through miRNA induced mechanisms and thus probably ensure their survival. ConclusionsAs switching off the apoptosis of host cells would provide the viruses with selective advantages in surviving inside host, our findings therefore envisage an important function of viral miRNA which demands further in vivo experiments for better understanding in this regard.